


A New Family

by MissLillyLovee



Series: What The Future Holds [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Brief/Minor mention of other companions/advisors, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4213176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLillyLovee/pseuds/MissLillyLovee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The months leading up to Diana's due date had been hard. They'd had an estimation, but even so, Cullen hadn't quite been prepared for the arrival of their children. However, when everything goes smoothly, something else comes to mind, and their happy story continues on its way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is rushed and definitely unedited, but I finished something for the first time in a while. I hope you enjoy :3

Skyhold was in an uproar. The main hall was packed with people. Closest to the Inquisitor’s bedchambers were her advisors and companions. The Iron Bull, Sera, and Blackwall were playing bodyguards, keeping the nobles and pilgrims alike from pushing their way through. Cullen was standing at the door, tense and pale, with Leliana, Josephine, Varric and Cassandra huddled around him. Even with the crowd jam-packed in the room, everything was silent – save for the sounds of pain and of muffled voices that came from the tower chambers.  


It had started just before dawn. Cullen had jolted awake beside Diana, unsure of what had woken him – until her hand slapped against his chest again. She was sat up in bed, staring down at herself, blankets thrown away from her. Cullen looked at her in worry, only to see that it looked as though she’d wet herself. Immediately panic began to set in.  


“Go get the healers,” She croaked, her voice cracking with a mix of sleep and panic. Cullen shot out of bed, taking only enough time to pull on a pair of cotton slacks before he was rushing down the stairs. Everyone in the castle had been on edge as Diana’s expected due date drew closer, so it was no surprise that there were a few of the guests milling about the hall so early in the day. It was a bit of a shock to them to see the Commander dashing through the hall half-naked.  


He’d roused Mother Giselle first, as she had become something of a mother figure to Diana. With her help, they gathered the team of healers both magical and non, and soon he was leading a small troop of people back to the chambers he shared with Diana. Mother Giselle had tried to encourage him to remain at the door to help deflect the general crowds from making it up the stairs, but he was resistant. He needed to be with Diana for this.  


Diana, per Giselle’s insistence, asked the same of him, however, as the healers fussed around her to get her ready. Though her face was pained, already with a sheen of sweat over her forehead, she offered a weak smile.  


“They need room, love, and we can’t risk anyone else coming up here. You’re the one I trust the most,” She’d insisted, giving his hand a squeeze when he took hers. He wanted to argue, but she already looked to be in pain, and he didn’t want to have an argument over it now, of all times. So he dressed properly and made his way back down stairs, where crowds were already gathering.  


Hours passed and Cullen didn’t leave his post. His face was pale, his posture rigid, but his expression was set. If anyone did get past the three holding the crowds back, they would think twice about making any attempt to pass the soon-to-be-father. Even if every cry that echoed through the room drained a little more color from his face.  


Leliana and Josie were on either side of him, hands on his shoulders, whispering comforting things that were probably the only things that kept him from turning and going to her then and there. Varric was being his usual self, trying to lighten the mood and rouse the excitement that came with new children, rather than the fear that seemed to have engulfed him. Even Cassandra was giving a very rare show of her softer side in an attempt to keep things calm.  


Finally, a full silence settled over the hall. The sounds from above had ceased, and it was almost as if no one was even breathing. A few moments later, footsteps sounded down the stairs, and the door opened behind Cullen to reveal a young pale-faced mage, who was smiling weakly up at Cullen.  


“If you’ll come with me, Commander,” She spoke softly, as if muted by whatever had kept the hall silent for so long. He felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest as he turned on his heel, the other advisor’s stepping back to let him go. The door closed behind him, and for a moment he heard a sudden uproar of sound from the hall. He knew no one would get by unless bid, however.  


Back in the chambers, things were quiet. The healers had cleaned everything up, and Mother Giselle stood next to the bed. Cullen’s eyes found Diana immediately. She looked exhausted, her short hair sticking to her forehead with sweat, but she was smiling. There was a bundled blanket in her arms, and he could just barely see a little tuft of blond hair as he stepped closer. Mother Giselle turned as he approached, holding a similar bundle, though rather than blond, he saw curls of red.  


“Would you like to hold your daughter, Commander?” Giselle murmured softly. Cullen felt like his vocal chords had been cut. Mutely, he held out his arms, and she carefully settled the little bundle in his arms, while Diana watched with that exhausted smile.  


Cullen was trembling as he shifted and settled, looking down at the tiny little face peeking out of the blankets. Wide blue eyes blinked up at him slowly, and he thought he might just melt when she made a tiny cooing noise. After a little bit of help from one of the healers to remove one of his gloves, he reached up and brushed back the little curls from her face. She looked just like her mother, except for those curls, which she without a doubt picked up from him.  


“I thought maybe we could name her after Mia,” Diana spoke up, and he looked over to her and smiled weakly. “And perhaps him after my father, Nathaniel,” At that, he looked down at the blond bundle in her arms, dark eyes blinking up at him. A boy and a girl. Diana shifted herself to the side in time to let him sit heavily beside her on the bed, still carefully holding his daughter close to him. She could see tears in his eyes.  


“I think that’s a wonderful idea. Mia will be thrilled.” He croaked, his voice cracking with emotion. She scooted into his side, unbothered after so long by the obstruction his armor caused. He carefully shifted young Mia in his arms, so he could put one around Diana, his hand resting just under Nathaniel’s head.  


This was it. He remembered the way his chest had ached when he found out she was pregnant, like his heart was swelling. Now it was full to bursting. When he’d joined the Templars what seemed like ages ago, he’d never really thought about having a family. After the disasters at the Circle and in Kirkwall, he’d all but given up hope. But here he was, with the woman he loved, and their newborn children nestled in their arms. All he could do was smile as tears of absolute joy welled in his eyes and spilled over. He leaned over, pressing a kiss to Diana’s forehead as he gently stroked Nathaniel’s head.  


Leliana, who had slipped into the room almost unnoticed, smiled as she watched two of her closest friends. When she spoke up, she seemed just as muted as the rest of the hall had been. Diana was certain her voice was husky with the effort not to cry, herself.  


“You all look beautiful,” She murmured. She took a hesitating step forward and, after an affirmative nod from Cullen, approached the family, looking down at Mia with a small smile. “Are you too exhausted to make an appearance, my lady?” She looked to Diana with a smile. “The hall is in an absolute frenzy to see the new family together.”  


Diana shook her head and, despite some protest from the healers, had Cullen help her from the bed, keeping her son held close to her. Cullen relented to Leliana, passing Mia to her as he led his lover down the stairs carefully. They reached the door and Cullen gave a little motion for them to wait. He slipped out the door, leaving the two women standing close together with the healers all gathered up behind.  
After assuring that the hall would remain reasonably quiet, he opened the door, leading Diana out first. Excitement buzzed through the hall, but no noise rose too high as people gathered around, Leliana carefully passing Mia back to Cullen.  


They spent some time greeting Skyhold’s guests and introducing the newest arrivals, but soon enough Diana found herself sinking into her throne, exhausted, and the groups were instead gathering around her. Cullen had insisted she take the two for a moment, so she sat with her twins in her arms, smiling down at the bright-eyed babies, though wondering where Cullen had disappeared to. He was back within moments, and something in his expression had the hall falling silent again.  


“Cullen, what–?” He shook his head and Diana fell silent, her brow furrowing faintly. He stood before her, taking in the sight of his lover and their children. Only one thing would make this day better. Slowly, Cullen took a knee before her. Diana felt her breath catch and her eyes widen, and a shuddering whisper of excitement ripple through the halls.  


“Lady Trevelyan. When we met almost three years ago, I knew you were special. But I never expected to find so much in you. A lover who has helped me through the hardest times of my life, who has seen me walk through the Void itself and remained beside me. More than that, you’ve given me a beautiful family I never thought I’d have…” In his pause, somewhere in the back there was a little hiccup, which Diana mirrored moments later, tears welling in bright blue eyes.  


“Only one thing could possibly make me happier on the day that my beautiful children were brought into the world,” he produced a modest ring, but it was one that she recognized. She’d seen it, very briefly, during one of Mia’s visits to her brother. An heirloom within his family. “Diana Trevelyan, mother of my children, will you marry me?”  


The silence was deafening. Diana’s voice had caught in her throat, and she couldn’t speak, so for a moment she simply nodded enthusiastically. He reached up, kissing her sweetly, and that was when she found her voice.  


“Yes, Cullen, Maker, _yes,_ ” She gasped, tears streaming down her face. Cheers erupted in the hall, while Cullen gathered her to him, holding his fiancée and his children to his chest.


End file.
